Smith confirms re-election bid with government

Smith Junior Minister for Financial Services Lorna Smith has confirmed that she will seek re-election and has signalled that she intends to remain aligned with the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) government, dismissing months of uncertainty over her political plans ahead of the next general election. Smith, speaking on the Talking Points radio programme, gave an unequivocal answer when asked whether she intended to contest the upcoming polls. “I have been asked that question quite a few times recently. And I don’t understand why. I’ve been working steadily,” Smith said. “And of course, yes, I will be contesting the upcoming elections with God’s help. I’m in good health right now, and with His help I will continue to be in good health. I will continue to work for the people of this territory, as I have been doing for the last, what, three and a half years? ” Smith added.

Asked which political colour voters should expect to see her representing, Smith stopped short of making an official party announcement, saying that was a matter for the party chairman. “Well, I’m with the government at the moment, and I don’t expect that that would change, but in terms of colour and official statements about that, I would expect the chairman of the party to make that statement,” Smith said. “But I’m very much with the government. I work with them, I support them, I enjoy working with them, and I think they’re doing an excellent job, and there’s no reason to go anywhere else,” she added. Her comments follow speculation about where she would contest the next election. Earlier this year, commentator Claude Skelton Cline publicly suggested that Smith could align with a new political organisation being formed by her brother, veteran politician Mark Vanterpool. Vanterpool rejected…